1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to automated casting systems and more particularly to a casting system employing a plurality of casting units disposed on a rotating table or the like.
2. Background Art
A casting system, besides a casting mold, typically includes a mechanism for opening and closing the mold and a variety of electrical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic systems which serve to perform a variety of controlling functions in the overall molding process. Furthermore, lubrication systems and cooling systems may be required. A problem with prior art casting systems is the difficulty encountered in substituting a different configuration mold in an existing system. Since molds of various different shapes and configurations may be required from time-to-time and connections for the various systems to control the molding apparatus may vary substantially between molds, the changeover from one set of molds to another results in significant and expensive downtime for the casting system. Such changeover may require re-routing of electrical cabling and connections for pneumatic and hydraulic as well as cooling systems. Furthermore, in typical prior art arrangements, a plurality of molds and the apparatus for opening and closing the molds are disposed on a rotating table or the like. In case of a breakdown or routine maintenance of the opening and closing mechanism for a particular mold or of the mold itself, the entire casting system must be shut down. Such a shut-down tends to be time-consuming since the system typically has to be cooled down for maintenance work and must be brought back to working temperature before operations can be resumed. A particular disadvantage of prior art systems is the costly downtime of the entire system for maintenance, repair or changeover of molds.
Routine molding operations typically require that a filter used in the casting operation be removed and replaced before a next pouring of the molten metal or the like. This is commonly done manually. In order to avoid introducing the necessary delays in the casting operation, the filter is typically removed as soon as possible after the previous pouring operation, often while it is still very hot. The filter removal can be both difficult and time consuming. A further difficulty in the routine operation of a casting system is that the mold is preferably laundered after a casting operation and coated with a specialized coating prior to the next pouring. The functions of laundering and coating are typically performed manually and tend to be difficult and time consuming, adding to the cost of the casting operation.
A further difficulty in many casting operations is the removal of a casting from the mold, particularly from the drag of the mold, while the casting is hot.
These and other problems of the prior art are overcome in accordance with this invention in a modularized system comprising a plurality of casting modules, each of which may be removed from a casting system, such as a rotating table casting system, without affecting the operation of other modules. Each module is provided with on-board systems such as a lubrication system, a cooling system, etc., which operate independently from similar systems on other modules. Each module is provided with quick-disconnect connectors for connection to a main source of electrical power, hydraulic pressure, etc. The modules are preferably interchangeable and a variety of different modules may be installed in one main system and can be readily exchanged as required by production demands, without significant system downtime.
A particular advantage of the modular system is that a casting module may be removed and replaced in a relatively short period of time since only a few connections need to be made. Furthermore, periodic maintenance and repair of the modules may be performed off-line with a minimum of production line down-time.
Advantageously, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a casting module of the system may be replaced by another module which has not only been set up and tested off-line, but also warmed up off-line to bring the unit up to the desired 10 operating temperature. In a system in accordance with this invention, the replacement of a casting module requires the casting operation be interrupted only for a period of time sufficient to disconnect a number of quick-disconnect connections, remove the casting module by means of a forklift or the like, replace the removed module with a preheated casting module and make the necessary quick-disconnect connections. Advantageously, since the new unit has been warmed up off-line and since the other units are not taken out of operation for an extended period of time, no significant system warm-up time is required and system downtime is reduced substantially.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a casting unit is provided with a mechanism for mechanically removing a filter that is used in the casting process. In accordance with one specific aspect of the invention, the casting unit includes a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder mounted on a pivoting bracket having spaced apart arms attachable by means of chain or the like to a filter to be removed. Advantageously, the filter may be raised during the pouring operation such that it is completely removed from the casting before the casting solidifies, thereby avoiding certain problems of the prior art associated with the removal of filters from a casting.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a cope of a casting system provided with a tilting launder tray, preferably mounted on the upper platen, that is readily moved aside during the pouring operation and quickly put in the appropriate position to direct a laundering liquid into a filler neck of the upper platen.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the upper platen of a casting system is provided with a swinging cope which is movable between the horizontal position, in which the cope is disposed adjacent a lower surface of the upper platen, and a vertical position in which the cope is extended at a 90 degree angle to the upper platen. Advantageously, the movable platen greatly facilitates cleaning of the cope prior to a next pouring operation. In one specific embodiment of the invention, the cope is movable between the horizontal and vertical positions by one or more hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders and a hydraulic or pneumatically operated locking mechanism is provided to lock the cope in place adjacent to the upper platen.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the lower platen is advantageously provided with a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder arrangement which serves to raise the lower platen for easier removal of a casting and is further provided with a mechanism for lifting a casting from the drag.